Woollahra fights pavilion upgrade

BY LUCAS BAIRD

Woollahra Council decided to refer Waverley Council’s controversial plans to upgrade Bondi Pavilion to NSW Premier Mike Baird because it fails to comply with proper process for council mergers.

The concept plan for the upgrade to Bondi Pavilion, which passed through Waverley council last week, would impinge upon any merged future council’s funds according to Woollahra Council.

Woollahra Greens Councillor Matthew Robertson introduced the item at Tuesday’s council meeting. The motion requested that the Premier investigate whether the plan complies with local government decision making protocol during the merger process.

Clr Robertson told City Hub that it was “unfair,” that the new council would be burdened by Waverley council’s decision to spend $38 million on the pavilion.

“There can be no guarantee that Woollahra council’s money won’t be used to plug the financial black hole that Sally Betts is driving the pavilion into,” Clr Robertson said.

He also said that the upgrade was directly contravening with state government protocols that restricted council decision making during the merger process.

The Local Government office released a set of guidelines last year which outlined several restrictions on the current councils due to the impending merger process.

The document said that councils should avoid, “making significant and/or ongoing financial commitments that will be binding on a new council.”

Friends of Bondi Pavilion spokesperson, Kilty O’Brien was positive about the interest Woollahra was taking in the issue and told City Hub she hoped that the state government would take this issue seriously.

But she said there were several other courses of action if the nothing came of Woollahra council’s referral.

“We will be planning public events, we are seeking our own legal advice and we will continue to work across the community to ensure they are not locked out of their own community centre,” Ms O’Brien said